Month: May 2020

Today is the first day of May, and if in Burlington, would be the final day of in person classes. It is a good day for us to reflect and look back upon the semester and see how we grew- but also how the earth grew and the seasons changed.

I remember the first time I went to my phenology spot in Burlington I could identify none of the tree or plant species, knew nothing about wildlife activity and could not tell a song sparrow from a red tailed hawk call. I never would have expected me to change and grow as much as the flowers. The Rubenstein teachers all have such passions for birds and nature and made me feel I have missed out on so much. Their passion has made me passionate about birds and herps and wildflowers. I have noticed more species in my hometown than ever before.

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TAs like Emma have inspired me to look into herbalism and I have been making my own dandelion honey! and violet lemonade! I also have been looking into plants to help me get off my ADD meds and use healthier natural cures. I would not have become interested in this if I didn’t have someone interesting showing me!

I also have become into birding due to my ENVS class and Brendan Fisher paired all of us up with Audubon members to help us learn how to bird! So through this I have been able to start something I never imagined I could do! I have gotten my whole family into watching and IDing birds in our backyard. Now I am constantly aware of their calls around me. 

So today looking at the nature around me, I feel so much more connected and a part of it than I did in september. I also have grown fond of watching the same trees change. While this phenology blog was a pain to do and I often found myself running the day before to get it done, it forced me to go outside and make meaningful connections with the land. Going to the same spot helped me grow close to my friend Grace as well, because I learned she went to the same spot so we would go together. The phenology blog definitely has forced me to learn about the process and changes of the seasons, which I am now grateful for.

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The birds are singing! Spring is here! April has been a time of change for all of us. With coronavirus confining us to our houses and the state of Connecticut temporarily shutting down it has been a stressful time, but a good time to watch the world around us and reflect. While our lives may be on a pause, the world around us isn’t. Spring is here, blossoming around us. Birds are flying, flowers are growing, and the sun is shining.

I have been kind of contained to my house and suburban neighborhood recently so have been able to watch a limited, developed area change. But I definitely have had more time and made a conscious effort to go for walks and see spring come to my town. I doubt I would be as attentive if I was at school and not plagued by COVID19.

Some changes I have noticed:

• The buds on my red maple tree in my backyard have began to turn into leaves. They started green and small and are now red and blossoming. Most of the trees (besides the cherry maples) have buds but are still bare, making it easier for birding.
• The migratory birds in my backyard are crazy! Not just the migratory birds, I see many mating mourning doves and house sparrows but visitors like the white throated sparrow have graced our feeders.
• Here is a list of birds I have seen in April:

1. Tufted titmouse
2. House Sparrow (male)(female)
3. Bluejay
4. North- American cardinal (male) (female 4/22)
5. Mourning dove
6. Chipped Sparrow (preston said)
7. American robin
8. Cooper’s Hawk (?, chris +preston)
9. American Common Crow
10. Black capped chickadee 
11. Song sparrow  (4/22)
12. Turkey vulture
13. White throated sparrow (4/23)
14. Eastern towhee
15. Canada goose
16. American goldfinch
    1. Have seen the classic yellow male but also a paler almost brown bird with a yellow beak and same wing patterns who I presume to be a female. 
17. Brown Headed cowbird (female, brown all over) (Male black w brown 4/30)
18.  Downy woodpecker (4/25) (4/30)
19. Mallard Duck (male)
20. House finch (4/29)
21. European starling (4/30) (?)

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• We are having lots of small sun showers! I’m not sure how this is a phenological change but it has been brightening up the grass and giving spring flowers the drink they need to grow. Speaking of spring flowers…
• Due to quarantine I have been going on many walks. The first flower I saw were the beautiful purple crocuses. I was overwhelmed with joy to find them blooming. They were then followed by violets then daffodils than dandelions and bluebells.
• We also have a nest of baby bunnies and chipmunks in my backyard! Unfortunately on easter my dogs found 2 week old baby bunnies, we moved and secured their nest and have been able to watch a baby cottontail grow up over the past few weeks. We also have a nest of 4 chipmunks living in the same spot! We frequently see them frolicking with squirrels and birds around our feeders out back. My backyard is like Bambi!
• I have also walked to some woody area and have seen lots of vernal pools flooded and filled with amphibian eggs!

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